Being in a car accident is no fun for anyone, and if you're fortunate you'll be able to walk away from it with only minor injuries, if any at all.

Of course, after that is the car accident claim you'll need to file with your insurance company, and this can sometimes be as unpleasant as the accident itself!

Some in the auto insurance industry have realized how difficult and unpleasant the entire process is of making a road accident claim, but typically they still have a long way to go when it comes to good customer service, and of course each company's policies will be different.

So to walk you through it, here are some basic reminders. First, keep in mind that your car accident claim will start right at the accident site.

Even for minor fender benders, you should still call the police and have them fill out an accident report. Don't admit fault in the accident at all; even if the police write up the report that you're to blame, you can still contest this in court.

You should also take pictures of the car accident right there; if you don't have a camera phone, consider keeping a Polaroid camera in your car.

Make sure you get the names and addresses of any witnesses to the accident; if the police don't ask bystanders or onlookers for their names, you can do this yourself and add it to your road accident claim so your auto insurance company can verify your statements.

Notify your insurance agent right away after the accident; if you can't contact him or her that day, do so as soon as possible.

It's important that you get the paperwork started for your road accident claim so that if you're entitled to compensation you can get that processed quickly to get your car repaired and be back on the road.

It's bad enough to have been in a car accident, but the filing of your accident claim to your auto insurance company doesn't have to be difficult...if you follow the correct procedure!